Meet Walden Schmidt. That’s the name of the new character being played by Ashton Kutcher on “Two and a Half Men.” According to CBS entertainment chief Nina Tassler, he’s an “internet billionaire with a broken heart.”

Predictably, Tassler was hit with a barrage of questions about Kutcher and the messy exit made by Charlie Sheen, the actor he’s replacing in the popular sitcom.

Refusing to dwell on the past, Tassler said she’s pleased to have, in Kutcher, an actor who “comes with commitment and enthusiasm.”

Other than that, Tassler was pretty tight-lipped on everything regarding the past and future of “Two and a Half Men.” She, for example, would neither confirm or deny rumors that the season would open with a funeral for Sheen’s character, Charlie Harper. She also declined to reveal information on how Kutcher’s character would be introduced, preferring hat it remain a “mystery.”

“It’s going to be a big event and the chatter and the conversation is a part of what the fun of it can be,” she said.

Production on the opening episode of “Two and a Half Men” began this Monday.

“You could cut the air (on the set) with a knife,” Tassler said. “A tremendous amount of weight and effort are being put into this episode.”

When asked if the network had put any policies in place to deal with actors who exhibited “erratic behavior” in the future, Tassler replied, “That would probably be every actor in the business. That would be a little hard.”

Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore put their fame and money to good use with the launch party of “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls.”

Also featured today: Jeri Ryan counties to make geeks scream with joy in her new role in “Mortal Kombat Legacy;” Elizabeth Hurley looks gorgeous at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s Hot Pink Party; and Russell Brand keeps trying to sell the awful film “Arthur”.

LIndsay Lohan arrives in court for an arraignment hearing in connection with the alleged theft of a $2,500 necklace.

Also featured today: Justin Bieber attends the premiere of his new craptastic film “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never;” Jessica Szohr attends the Jimmy Choo Fragrance launch in New York ; and Ashton Kutcher proves a point by wearing a Navajo print jacket. And the point is, don’t wear that print unless you’re Navajo.

Natalie Portman is all class and Ashton Kutcher has none. So will movie audiences buying into the couple being hot for each other. We think not.

Also featured today: Seth Green and Elijah Wood make short men proud at Fox TV’s TCA All Star Party; Mark Wahlberg is classic cool at the 2011 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Gala; and Christian Slater is styling on the red carpet. We were worried for him the last 5 years, but it appears he’s got his groove back.

The rumor mill is in overdrive about Ashton Kutcher cheating on Demi Moore, but their appearance at the Clinton Global Initiative tells a different story. We think Demi is all doe-eyed over her man even after five years of marriage, but we’ve been wrong before.

Also featured today: Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver showing that older can be very very sexy at the premiere of ‘You Again;’ Ed Norton and James Franco at the ‘Howl’ screening after party; and do you think Madonna’s daughter will turn out to be a normal girl?

“Flashpoint,” the cop series that made a modest splash last summer, returns to CBS on Friday, Jan. 9 as part of the network’s midseason plans.

The CBS midseason schedule will also feature a new game show from producer Ashton Kutcher called “Game Show in My Head” (Jan. 3), the premiere of the mystery series “Harper’s Island” (April 9), and the returns of reality hits “Survivor” (Feb. 12) and “Amazing Race” (Feb. 15).